Disney Formula Brings ‘Sky High’ Success

Although spiraling into the animated abyss has become the preferred M.O. of Walt Disney Pictures (Pixar notwithstanding), Disney’s live action features have stabilized at pleasant amiability. So even if its latest release, “Sky High,” isn’t the entertaining generational crossover of “Pirates of the Caribbean” or the Pixar animations, it still is a delightful turn on the status quo.

Little in “Sky High” defies convention. And just like flipping the remote control to the Disney Channel (it’s even written by the creators of the network’s animated series “Kim Possible”), we have our unknown child actors, a few cameos for the grown-ups, a typical problem facing adolescents—in this case, popularity, or the lack thereof—and a valuable lesson learned in the end. This is more than enough to placate all that preteen angst, but by adding a few comedic ringers and some teens with good delivery, “Sky High” also provides some laughs for the rest of the population.

Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano), the son of the world’s two greatest superheroes, The Commander (Kurt Russell) and Jetstream (Kelly Preston), has a lot to live up to as he enters his first day at Sky High. It’s here that he’ll be thrown into one of two castes: Hero or Sidekick. “If life were suddenly to get fair,” Will tells his friend Layla as she describes the problems of the system, “I doubt it would happen in high school.”

Although this theme has found its way into many a teen movie, Angarano, best known for playing Jack’s long-lost son on “Will and Grace,” has the charm and inflection to pull it off. The 17-year-old star (one thing Disney does consistently well is hire actual teens to play teens in its movies) plays the nice but sometimes clueless guy in a style reminiscent of a young, less cynical John Cusack.

The rest of the young’uns are cute even in their one-dimensionality. A geek, a white ghetto boy, a loner, a hippie, and a tough guy (a-bit-too-cutely-named Warren Peace) are among the Sidekicks attending Sky High. They are predictable, though sweet in their lack of power—one melts, one glows, and another can even turn into a guinea pig.

Ultimately, Will learns to harness his powers, eventually dropping his true friends for senior student body president Gwen Grayson (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and the rest of the “cool kids.” Will’s parents strongly encourage him to follow his ego, and veteran actors Russell and Preston gleefully play up the ways being a hero can go to your head.

What flies the movie forward from its “made-for-TV” feel is the addition of “Kids in the Hall” veterans Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald. Foley, in particular, camps it up as Mr. Boy—the former “All-American Boy” and sidekick to Will’s parents.

Other cameos seem to cater entirely to the adult audience. Lynda Carter, playing Principal Powers, might directly call out her superhero connection— “I’m not Wonder Woman you know,” she remarks to some detentionees—but few children are likely to nod at the reference. Better yet are the five minutes of nurse time by Cloris Leachman, although sadly her presence might be overlooked by even the older viewers.

It’s hard to tell whether “Sky High” is falling to formula or purposely kitsched up, but it does succeed in mocking comic conventions. Besides the lessons learned in the Sidekick’s “Hero Support” classes, we are treated to some full out “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers”-style fighting between The Commander and Jetstream and a giant metal robot, as well as some very Morphin’-style villains plotting their next move.

For viewers of a certain age, I can only hope this was intentional.

The bright colors, decent effects, and heartwarming yet funny message is sure to hit most children—even to the threshold of teendom—hard enough to stick. While the humor isn’t biting enough nor the plot innovative enough to make it a must-see college flick, “Sky High” promises an engaging time for Disney Channel graduates and adults with inner superheroes alike.

—Staff writer Margaret M. Rossman can be reached at rossman@fas.harvard.edu.